The Professor
The Professor is a short story which was first published in Popular Flying in January 1933 and then in The Modern Boy issue 284, 15th July 1933 where it was given the title The Flying Professor. The story was subsequently collected as the first short story of the third Biggles book Biggles of the Camel Squadron, published in March 1934. In the book, this story is followed by The Joy Ride. Synopsis There is a new pilot at 266 Sqn, Henry Watkins. He believes that aerial gunnery and navigation are all a matter of mathematics. However his first operational sortie doesn't proceed with mathematical precision. Plot (may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) Grounded by bad weather, Biggles is yarning in the 266 squadron mess with Mahoney and Maclaren. Biggles contends that not one pilot in a thousand allows enough deflection when shooting at his target. Most air to air and ground to air fire ends up behind the aircraft, or if it hits, always at the rear. It takes a lot of imagination to shoot five hundred feet ahead of the target. "It's purely a matter of mathematics," says Henry Watkins, a new pilot who had just arrived at 266 an hour ago. In fact, Henry says he has developed a pet theory of his own and is anxious to test it. His chance comes when Major Mullen tells Biggles they have to put up some kind of show in spite of the bad weather and suggests that he take his flight to drop some bombs on the German aerodrome 32. Biggles, Algy and Henry take off but Henry is soon lost on a divergent course in the mist and cloud. Biggles spots him occasionally, but he is too far away to catch up so he and Algy proceed on their own to aerodrome 32. There they succeed in stafing and destroying a number of hangars and Albatros fighters. There is still no sign of Henry, so the two head for home. Meanwhile, Henry, having lost sight of his friends, has trouble steering his aircraft in the murky weather with his erratic instruments. It certainly did not seem as easy as the described in the Flying Training Manual. Suddenly, there is machine gun fire and his altimeter explodes. He looks around to see a Hanoverana beside him with the rear gunner calmly reloading his weapon. Henry is angry to have been taken by surprise. He pulls and pushes his aircraft into various crazy manoeuvres, ending up at various times behind, below and then in a head on attack, firing at the enemy as and when he could bring his guns to bear. Eventually the Hanoverana dives into the mist. Henry knows it is useless to follow it. But breaking below the cloud he spots an aerodrome. That must be the target, so he releases his bombs and heads for base. Back at Maranique, Major Mullen has an irate visit from Major Sharp of 287 Squadron. Which Camel has just dropped bombs and made eight craters on his aerodrome? Biggles has an idea it must be Henry. But before the recriminations begin, Mullen has another call--who has shot down a green Hanoverana? Neither Biggles nor Algy had met a two seater so it must be Henry. Henry explains that during his fight with the Hanoverana, things happened so fast that he didn't have time to prove his theorem. He just threw his copybook away and attacked "baldheaded". Biggles agrees. If Henry would do his fighting the baldheaded way, he could come again with him on patrol next day. Characters *Biggles *Algy Lacey *Captain MacLaren *Major Mullen *Major Sharp *Henry Watkins Aircraft *Sopwith Camel *S.E.5 *Albatros *Hannoverana Places Visited *266 Squadron, Maranique *Aerodrome 32 Mentioned *Saint Pol Editorial Changes Other Research Notes *Aerial Victories: Algy 1 (Albatros). *Other R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. Units mentioned: **287 Sqn - flying S.E.5s References to the past Incongruities Chronology (see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories) *Estimated as January 1918 **It is winter. There is a fire in the mess. Outside there is a slight fall of snow.Ward Powers. "What Happened to Biggles in WW1?" ''Biggles Flies Again'' Vol. 3 No. 1, June 2009. Publication History *''Popular Flying'', Jan, 1933 *''The Modern Boy'', Issue 284, 15th Jul 1933 (as The Flying Professor) *''Biggles of the Camel Squadron'', John Hamilton, 1934 and reprints *''Biggles Goes to War'', Boys' Friend Library, 1938 *''Biggles of the Camel Squadron'', Thames, 1954 and reprints *''Biggles of the Camel Squadron'', Dean and Son, 1960s and reprints *''Biggles of the Fighter Squadron'', Red Fox, 1992 and reprints *''Biggles of the Camel Squadron'', Norman Wright, 2011 References Category:Short stories Category:Biggles short stories Category:World War One era short stories